Health: New Acne Treatment Recommendations

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Battling acne is a problem for millions of Americans, and it can get especially bad in the summer heat. Now, there are new guidelines to treat it.

Although acne is one of the most common skin conditions in children and adolescents, there haven’t been standard guidelines to manage it until now.

Fifteen-year-old Nicholas Travis has been battling severe acne for years.

“It was really inflamed and painful, even to touch it,” said Nicholas.

The pimples on his face, chest and back made him feel self-conscious and embarrassed.

“You feel, like, different — like in a bad way though,” said Nicholas.

For the first time, the American Academy of Pediatrics is backing new guidelines for the treatment of acne in children and teens.

“Acne and kids is really nothing new, but for the first time, we have enough evidence to develop evidence-based guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of pediatric acne, so that’s pretty exciting,” said Dr. Whitney Bowe, a dermatologist.

The guidelines say most cases of mild acne should be treated with over-the-counter medications that include either Benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid. If that doesn’t work, the next steps are using topical retinoids, then oral antibiotics and after that prescription drugs, like Claravis.

Nicholas used a few treatments to clear up his acne.

“It’s so much better. Like socially, I can talk to people now,” said Nicholas.

The report says doctors are seeing more and more cases of younger children with acne, possibly because kids are entering puberty earlier than in the past.

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